


Tumble and Fall

by Cumberbatch Critter (ivelostmyspectacles)



Series: DA2 FenHawke Modern AU [3]
Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Caretaking, Dancing, Fenris Week 2016, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, They are hopeless, injuries, truly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-11
Updated: 2016-06-11
Packaged: 2018-07-14 12:09:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7170515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivelostmyspectacles/pseuds/Cumberbatch%20Critter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dance injuries. </p><p>Andraste watch over them both.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tumble and Fall

**Author's Note:**

> **_Prompt: "You have an entire story written in your head already, don't you?"_ **
> 
>  
> 
> Well, today is free day, and what better way than to commemorate that with an instalment to the Modern AU? :3
> 
> I do not own _Dragon Age II_. Thanks for reading!

Watching Fenris dance would never cease to feel like watching an actual performance. Which it was, in its own right, but usually it was just him and Fenris, and there were breaks and conversation and sometimes it was rarely continuous, the ‘routines’. But it always felt like something special.

"So, what are you thinking about for this weekend? Do we want to go out of Kirkwall like we were talking or just do something similar to the usual?" Hawke was musing, although he didn't expect an answer until Fenris was finished with the routine he was working on. Dancing was a workout. (More than Hawke had ever known, but when Fenris jerked to a halt, skin shining with sweat and chest heaving, he could appreciate it.)

"There's this new place that opened up on the docks, this kind of thrift shop sort of place? According to the slogan, you can find lots of rare treasure there." Hawke rolled his eyes, tapping his fingers against his knees. "Dunno, it sounds interesting, Merrill was telling me. She thinks the owner is cute, that's why she keeps going back. Maker, she could stand to find someone, poor girl, sometimes I feel like I'm her only friend."

It must have been a move gone wrong. Hawke didn't even notice until it had happened; Fenris's bare feet hit the ground and he went down like wet cement, the shriek of pain sinking into Hawke's eardrums and jerking him to his feet.

"Fenris!" He had never heard Fenris make that sort of noise. He had seen him stumble, seen him take a tumble once or twice, but they had never been serious. Just mistakes. Not _this_. "Fen, hey, what happened, what hurts, are you okay?" His knees slammed into the hard wood as he landed next to him.

Fenris was a litany of curses, mostly in Common instead of the usual Tevene. Maybe it was more stress relieving to say _fuck_ over and over again. Or maybe venhedis or fasta vass were too many syllables, as Fenris's face screwed up in pain.

It did nothing to tell Hawke _anything_. "Okay, Fen, come on, breathe. You gotta talk to me."

"Hurts like fuck!" Fenris snapped, fingers seizing around his ankle. " _Fasta vass!_ So _stupid_ ," he gasped, dashing away the tears the cascaded down his cheeks.

Panic was settling into his chest, pooling uncomfortably into Hawke's stomach as he inspected Fenris's ankle. He didn't know much about dance injuries, but it was already swelling and turning colors and Fenris was _crying_. "Shit. Okay, um. Okay, what do I do? What do you need? Ice? Hospital? Tell me what I can do."

Fenris's fingers swept across his face, chasing away the tears. He was shaking. "... Hospital," he cracked out.

Hawke nodded quickly. "Okay. Okay. Can you walk? I'm parked down the street, but I can carry you."

It was moot, as Fenris was already trying to get to his feet. As soon as any pressure went down on that ankle, his leg buckled with the same sort of yelp as before; Hawke grabbed onto him before he could fall again. "Okay, hang on, I got you, hang on." Being as careful as he could, he picked the elf up and tucked him up against his chest. He wondered if he could feel his heart pounding. Probably not. Fenris was all pain, but Hawke was all panic.

"Maker... _Maker_ ," Fenris gasped, wide-eyed. "I'm not going to be able to dance. I'm not going to be able to dance. I can't dance like this."

"Don't say that, you don't know." Hawke flipped the lock on the door and jerked it shut, rushing down the street. "You could have just twisted it. Maybe just some ice and you'll be fine tomorrow. It's one hundred percent possible." He hoped he sounded more positive than he felt. It was a little hard to be positive when Fenris was shaking to pieces in his arms. Fenris, who always had his guard up, who Hawke had only seen cry _once_ due to anxiety or stress or something, Fenris hadn't really explained. This was different, this was wrong, Fenris, tears tracking his skin and pain and that _horror_ etched onto his face.

"No..."

"Don't say that," Hawke repeated. "It could be fine. It could be. Hang on, I've gotta unlock the truck. Hold on."

Fenris swallowed audibly, squeezing his eyes closed.

"Hang in there, it'll be okay."

"I can't _dance_ -"

"You can," Hawke interrupted. "You will. Here, let me- yeah. Be careful," he murmured, helping Fenris into the truck. "It's okay, I promise. I'm right here." A quick pass of his lips against Fenris's hair and then he pulled away. The sooner they got to the hospital, the better. He should have grabbed ice, stupid. He was shit at keeping calm when he needed to be. _Focus_ , drive, he'll be _fine_. Of course he will, you told him yourself. "You with me, Fen?"

"... Yes," he croaked. But his hands were clenched at his sides and there were still tears rolling down his cheeks, and Hawke knew better than to believe him. But, honestly, he would have said the same.

"Prop your foot on the dash if you can," Hawke instructed, glancing over at him at the stop light. "Elevation." He'd broken his hand, once, and that was one part he could remember.

"I know. I'm working up to it," Fenris said tersely.

"Did you hear a pop? A crack or anything?"

"I don't know. I panicked," the elf admitted. "I knew I landed wrong. I knew... I knew it before I landed, and then the pain..." He breathed out shakily, shifting in his seat.

"Okay, that's okay," Hawke murmured, reaching over for his shoulder, to squeeze it for a quick second. "We'll get it worked out, okay?"

"Yes... _kaffas_."

 

 

"I didn't even get my shoes," Fenris mumbled, staring at his bare feet. They were sitting in the lobby at the hospital, the elf cradled in Hawke's arms without complaint. The tears had stopped, but no demand to put him down was forthcoming, and that was more than enough to give voice to the way Fenris was feeling right now.

"You weren't going to put them on over that." The foot was swollen and a nasty shade of purple and blue along the side. It looked bad, but then, Hawke didn't know anything about dance injuries. He just hoped that it wasn't broken, for Fenris's sake.

Fenris sighed, wincing as he pressed the bag of ice back against the mottled skin.

Hawke tightened his grip around Fenris's chest, kissing the top of his head. "I'm sorry you got hurt. I'm here if you need me, for anything."

"Thank you." Fenris tipped his head back against Hawke's shoulder. "This is completely inconveniencing."

"Nah. Not that."

"If you two will just step this way," the nurse said, gesturing to the doors. As Hawke stood up with Fenris in his arms, she spoke again. "We can get you a wheelchair, if you need."

"I've got him."

"You can put me down, Hawke," Fenris muttered, although his voice lacked conviction.

"No, really, it's okay. I said I was going to be here for whatever you need," Hawke said. "If I've got to carry you around, I'm not going to complain about it. _You're_ the one in pain."

"You can't carry me around for however long it takes to heal."

"Watch me!" Hawke boasted, flashing a grin down at the elf. Fenris did not smile back. He just looked listless, and Hawke let his enthusiasm die as he carried Fenris into radiology.

 

 

"I'm staying with you tonight."

"... you really don't need to," Fenris mumbled, deep voice garbled into Hawke's chest. The medication that they'd given him had made him sleepy, and he'd dozed all through the car ride back home.

"But I'm going to," Hawke said, leaning the crutches up against the wall, "if you'll let me."

"I can't stop anyone from doing anything right now," Fenris murmured. "Do as you will. Thank you..."

"Okay, good. Let's get you to bed."

"Mmkay..." Fenris yawned into Hawke's shirt, fingers clutching at his arm. "G'night, Hawke."

"Night, love."

"Mpph..."

 

 

The thud jerked Hawke awake, nearly pulling him straight off the sofa. For a second, he forgot where he was, why he was on the sofa, and it was dark, and this wasn't his apartment. "Fenris," he murmured, and kicked away the blanket to jump to his feet. "Fenris." He rapped his knuckles against the cracked door, and pushed it open. "Everything- Fen." He cleared the distance between him and the elf collapsed on the floor, looking dazed. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"I... forgot," Fenris mumbled, hands pressed flat against the floor. "I need..." He was struggling to stand, and Hawke moved forward to help before he could hurt himself further.

"Okay, here, arm around my waist. What do you need?"

Fenris swallowed. "Bathroom."

"'kay. You wanna walk? I think we left the crutches out there, but I can carry you if you want."

"No," Fenris interrupted. "It's right there." He gestured towards the bathroom door, clinging onto Hawke's arm as he went wobbly. "I will walk."

"Don't push yourself, Fen."

"I'll walk," Fenris repeated. When not in the throes of pain, he seemed less willing to accept help. Which probably meant there was no more carrying him around going on. Well, they'd deal with that later. More pressing matters at hand at the moment.

"Okay," Hawke said simply. For now. "Come on, then."

The bathroom was connected, but it was slow progress, and Fenris's face was screwed up in pain by the time they staggered to a stop.

"I'll get you some ice once we get back to bed. Once I get you back to bed," Hawke amended quickly, pretending his ears didn't go hot. Pretended that he didn't notice Fenris's face going red. "U-Um, do you need..." Fenris's bathroom was anything but small, but it was close quarters, and Hawke didn't want to let go of Fenris if he was going to topple over, but...

"I'll manage," Fenris said quickly, removing his hand from Hawke's arm.

"Okay, just... be careful. I'll get some ice and be right back."

Fenris mumbled something that was probably approval. Hawke hesitated for another moment before pushing from the bathroom, going to collect the ice.

He met up with Fenris in the doorway, and this time didn't hesitate to sweep him into his arms to carry him back to bed.

"Hawke."

"Let me take care of you for now, okay?" Hawke carefully got him back into bed, pulling to right the blankets. "I've got ice for your ankle. And I'm going to get some pillows, so you can prop it up. You're not quite due for meds just yet, unfortunately."

Fenris sighed thinly, thunking his head back into his pillow. "You are being a mother hen."

"Do you have someone else to take care of you?"

"I can take care of myself," Fenris retorted, hissing in pain as Hawke helped him to prop his feet on the pillows.

"Sorry! Hang on, this is gonna be cold, too, but it'll help in the long run."

"It's not-" Fenris gasped, jerking as Hawke applied the flexible ice pack against his ankle.

"Careful," Hawke muttered.

"... That's cold," Fenris said weakly, throwing his arm over his eyes.

"Sorry."

Fenris grunted and wrestled the blankets over his body. "This is shaping to be one of my worst days," he muttered.

"Sorry."

"Stop saying that," Fenris snapped, and then sighed again as Hawke's hands stilled on the ice pack. "It is not your fault. You've been... more than accommodating. Thank you."

Hawke shook his head. "No, it's fine. That's what I'm here for. I don't mind taking care of you."

" _I_ mind," Fenris muttered, and squirmed a little. " _Fasta vass_."

Hawke frowned, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Well, look on the bright side, I guess? It could be broken."

"It may as well be," Fenris muttered. "It's going to take weeks to heal. Months, perhaps."

"It'll be better before you know it."

"False sentiment," Fenris replied, "but thank you." He squirmed a little more and sighed softly, rubbing his eyes. "... Do you want to..." He swallowed. "You can sleep here, too, if you want." The words came out thick and sluggish and hesitant, and Hawke frowned. That wasn't from being tired, or in pain, that was... something deeper. Something Hawke didn't know about, and shouldn't ask about just now.

"I'm good on the couch," he said instead, smiling reassuringly.

"Okay." Fenris nodded. Hawke pretended that he didn't notice the relief in the elf's eyes, and pretended that didn't make him curious as hell.

Fenris would tell him, on his own time. He had other problems to worry about right now.

"You want some tea or something? Maybe it'll help you go back to sleep."

"You don't need to trouble yourself."

"No trouble," Hawke said. "Be right back."

 

 

"Why do I have this insatiable urge to dance _every time_ I am injured?"

"Because you can't," Hawke murmured, snaking his arms around Fenris's waist.

Fenris's shoulders heaved with a sigh. "I know," he said sourly, and leaned back against Hawke's chest. "This music..."

"Okay, let me just..." He jabbed the power button on the remote, and the TV clicked off, plunging them into silence. "There. No music, no pining over missing out on dancing."

"As if it is that easy." Fenris snuggled into Hawke's embrace, resting his head on his chest. "You are lucky that I don't dislike _this_."

"Am I? Or are you? If you didn't have cuddles, you wouldn't have much to do right now," Hawke teased, and kissed his temple. "This is pretty good."

"It is," Fenris murmured, turning his head to stretch up for a kiss.

Hawke obliged him, lips pulled into a smile. "Maybe no more injuries, though."

"Agreed."

"You don't need to be on crutches so I'll kiss you."

"Good," Fenris said softly, and kissed him again - foot propped up on the armrest of the sofa the whole time.

 


End file.
